Remodeling Your Home For Your College Student

Is your college student needing a place to stay during summer break? You may have already considered remodeling your basement to give him or her somewhere to stay. If your college student is staying home on a more regular basis, such as going to a local school, you can help your student save a lot of money on room and board costs. How far you want to go with your basement remodel is up to how much time you expect your student to be staying with you.

Extra Bedroom and/or Bathroom

Perhaps you were already considering adding an extra bedroom or bathroom in your home. Here’s the opportunity to do so, all the while improving your home’s overall value. Keep in mind that to have a “legal” bedroom, you need to be sure that the room has a closet and a window that can be considered a proper egress point under your local building code. Interestingly, bathrooms do not have that restriction. An added benefit to having these extra rooms is so your college student can have a more private place to live during the day or night.

A Quiet Place to Study

While the local or school library is good for some students, others will want to study in the privacy of their own home. It’s actually not uncommon for college students to want to hang out in the basement where they won’t be distracted by the other goings on in the home. Alternatively, this space can also serve as a hangout for friends. Your college student is now an adult and wants to be treated like one with more privacy. Having a basement retreat is the perfect way to do this.

Full Blown Apartment

If your student is home on a regular basis commuting to a local school, it may be worth creating a whole apartment unit in your basement. This would include adding a small kitchen or kitchenette along one wall. This way if your college student has a schedule that conflicts with family mealtimes, you don’t have to worry about him or her clanging around in the kitchen when everyone else is trying to relax or sleep. It also gives you the option to later rent out the space, whether it’s for your student, a relative, or friend. You may even consider adding a separate access to the basement entirely so that your tenant, whether it’s your student or not, can enjoy an added layer of privacy.

Many college students still choose to move away for school. But with the rising costs of higher education, more often students are going to school locally for at least their first two years of school. By offering your basement as a safe haven, you will know where your child is staying. Also, you’re also saving a lot of money in the long run, especially if you’re picking up a big part of your student’s educational tab. The money you put into your basement will be made back by the room and board savings alone, and the improvements to your home will benefit you and your family for years to come..